In December 2023, the Houthi rebels in Yemen launched attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, escalating the Israel-Hamas conflict into a broader geopolitical risk encompassing the Red Sea region. This development disrupted the logistics supply chain between Asia and Europe, which had previously relied heavily on the Suez Canal. As maritime routes shifted from the Suez Canal to the Cape of Good Hope, countries worldwide, including South Korea, faced increased shipping and insurance costs. This situation posed the dual challenges of weakened export competitiveness and rising inflation.Simultaneously, the Red Sea crisis underscored the need for alternative land and maritime logistics networks to ensure supply chain stability. This led to heightened international interest in establishing new logistics hubs. Notably, discussions surrounding the Indo-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), announced at the 2023 G20 Summit, and the Development Road project, actively promoted by Turkiye and Iraq, gained traction following the Red Sea crisis. For South Korea, an export-driven economy, the continued geopolitical uncertainty around the Red Sea presents significant threats. Rising logistics costs and decreased reliability in maritime shipping could undermine export competitiveness. Consequently, there is an urgent need to explore alternatives beyond the Cape of Good Hope, including expanding overland logistics via China’s transcontinental high-speed rail.

This study aims to address two key questions: (1) What impact has the Red Sea crisis had on South Korea’s logistics network and trade? (2) What implications do the economic corridors, actively pursued by Western countries, India, the Middle East, and Turkiye, hold for South Korea in terms of supply chain connectivity and logistics hub development?

Chapter 2 focuses on the background of the Red Sea crisis and its impact on maritime logistics. The crisis began after the Houthi rebels declared solidarity with Hamas, launching attacks on key commercial vessels using a range of weapons. In response, major shipping companies diverted routes from the Suez Canal to the Cape of Good Hope, leading to increased transit times and costs. This shift has expected to contribute to global inflationary pressures. The crisis significantly reduced vessel traffic and cargo volumes through the Suez Canal and Bab-el-Mandeb Strait. Notably, shipping companies continue to prefer the Cape of Good Hope route, raising concerns that maritime trade through these chokepoints may not recover in the mid-to-long term. Major global ports also experienced temporary declines in vessel traffic and cargo volumes, with reductions lasting up to six months compared to the same period in the previous year. Focusing on South Korea’s external trade, the volume of trade with Europe declined from January to September 2024 compared to the previous year. In contrast, trade volumes with the U.S. remained relatively stable, indicating that the Red Sea crisis negatively impacted Korea-Europe trade beyond mere logistical delays. Key export items, including automobiles, electronics, chemicals, steel, and mineral fuels, all showed declines in the European market. Conversely, exports to North America and Asia increased, suggesting that South Korean companies may have diversified their export markets, considering the U.S., Oceania, and Asia as alternative destinations. While overall exports to the Middle East decreased, imports of mineral fuels, such as petroleum, rose, leading to an increase in trade volume. Considering the impact of the crisis on ports beyond Jeddah, such as Jebel Ali and Salalah near the Strait of Hormuz, the decline in exports to the Middle East appears to result more from changes in maritime logistics networks than from risk- averse corporate behavior.

Chapter 3 explores South Korea’s potential for logistics diversification, focusing on the Development Road and IMEC as alternative routes. Both corridors aim to reduce dependency on the Suez Canal. The Development Road project focuses on connecting Al-Faw Port in southern Iraq to Europe via Turkiye through highways and railways, driven primarily by the geopolitical interests of Iraq and Turkiye. In contrast, IMEC consists of an eastern corridor linking India with Gulf countries and a northern corridor connecting the Gulf with Europe. IMEC reflects broader global objectives, including countering China, maintaining the Arab-Israeli detente momentum, and facilitating the energy transition. A SWOT analysis of both corridors reveals that weaknesses and threats outweigh strengths and opportunities, suggesting low feasibility in the short term. External factors, such as interference from China, Iran, and ISIS, pose significant risks to both projects. Despite limited immediate incentives for South Korean participation, it is advisable for the government and businesses to actively consider engagement in these corridors. Diversifying logistics routes is crucial for managing geopolitical risks, especially given the potential for escalating instability in the Middle East. Furthermore, with the inauguration of a second Trump administration in the U.S., there may be increased pressure for South Korea to expand into new markets such as India and the Middle East. Participating in emerging economic corridors in the Middle East could also deepen Korea-Middle East economic relations by extending cooperation into manufacturing and logistics sectors.

Chapter 4 summarizes the research findings and proposes short- and long-term policy recommendations to enhance the resilience of South Korea’s maritime logistics industry. In the short term, the government should: (1) Develop public-private partnerships (PPP) and investment-driven projects for port construction and operations, and (2) Establish logistics cost support funds for small and medium-sized shippers to build new logistics networks and manage crises effectively. In the long term, participation strategies should differ based on each corridor’s characteristics. For IMEC, cooperation should focus on PPP models based on existing intergovernmental MOUs. In contrast, South Korea should pursue multinational consortiums and Official Development Assistance (ODA) initiatives for the Development Road project.

This study analyzed the impact of the Red Sea crisis on the global economy, South Korea’s maritime logistics, and trade from December 2023 to October 2024. The analysis primarily covered broad categories of goods and regions, lacking detailed assessments. Additionally, as the Development Road and IMEC are still in preliminary stages, their specific impacts on global and domestic logistics systems remain unassessed. Future in-depth studies are needed to address these limitations.